Stuffed Shells

We have been going this route over lasagne lately.  We ALL love it.  I don't follow this recipe exactly.  But I'll post the original recipe and then try to note the changes I make.

Stuffed Shells
1 pkg jumbo pasta shells
2 cups large curd cottage cheese
2 cups ricotta cheese
12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese {best when it's fresh, not powdered}
2 eggs, lightly geaten
1 pinch garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 jar spaghetti sauce {I like garden veggie.  plus I caramelize onions to put in AND add lots of extra veggies}
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese {for putting on top}

Cook shells according to package directions.  Place in cold water to stop cooking.  drain.

Mix together cheeses {save the 1/4 Parmesan for the top} eggs, garlic powder, parsley, and oregano.  Put mixture into a zip lock bag and snip the end of the bag.  Pipe cheese mixture into the shells.

Spread 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 15x10 inch pan.  Place shells open side up and close together in the pan.  Spread remaining sauce over top and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Peanut Wraps

This has quite a bit of sugar and oils and probably sodium.  But the way I look at it is it's way better than if you ordered it at a restaurant!

Peanut Wraps
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips {we have also used pork tenderloin}
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 bag broccoli slaw
1 medium red onion sliced in THIN strips
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
Tortillas

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter {I like crunchy best}
3 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp water
3 tbs peanut oil
1-2 cloves crushed garlic

Season chicken strips with garlic salt and pepper.  In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil on medium-high until cooked through.  Put aside & keep warm.  In same skillet add broccoli mix, onion, and ginger.  Cook until crisp but tender. Make peanut sauce while veggies cook.  In a small saucepan combine sauce ingredients, heat and stir until dissolved.  Serve by layering the veggies, chicken and sauce in a tortilla.  Wrap it.  Eat it.  Lick your place.  Suck on your fingers.  Mmmmm.

French Dip

1 pound of sliced deli roast beef
1 can French Onion Soup
1 can Beef Consume
1/2 cup water
Sliced Provolone cheese
French Rolls {buttered and broiled until golden brown}

Over medium heat, combine French Onion Soup, Beef Consume and water.  Add the roast beef.  Stir until heated through.  Add sliced Provolone to toasted French Rolls.  Top with Roast Beef.  Reserve liquid from the pot for dipping.

So super yummy!! 

Favorite Recipes

I haven't posted recipes for ages.  So I'll post a few of our favorites, sans photos, maybe I'll take some and add them the next time I whip some of this stuff up!  These recipes may not be super healthy and fit a diet intended for weight loss.  But we aren't trying to lose weight in this house, though we are trying to eat healthy, we're also trying to feed the 6 of us inexpensively as well.  So it's not w/o it's flaws.  They are however, delicious!  Hope you enjoy!

Here is our present Monthly Meal Plan, including Breakfasts {lunch is always leftovers}.  This will last longer than one month because every now and then we have to have a Leftover Night.  We have it broken down to two week sections, with a small grocery trip at the start of the second for fresh produce and other perishables!  Let me know which recipes you'd like me to post!

Quiche
Wydaho Nachos
Curry
Stuffed Shells
Artichoke Chicken Pasta
Baked Ziti
Hawaiian Haystacks
Peanut Wraps
Baked Halibut Steaks
Clam Chowder
Tortellini Soup
Stroganoff
French Dips
Taco Soup
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Homemade Alfredo
Fajitas
Reubens
Lasagne
Chicken Pot Pie
Egg Rolls
Fish Tacos
Chicken Noodle Soup
Linguine Carbonara
Saucy Stir Fried Pork
Creamy Tortellini Alfredo
Ravioli
Homemade Pizza
Beef Barley Soup

Breakfast
Mini Ham & Egg Cups
Pancakes
Oatmeal
Cream of Wheat
French Toast
German Pancakes
Pannu Kakua
Rice Pudding
Omelets
Bread Pudding
Huevos Rancheros
Waffles
Biscuits & Gravy

ALL Good

For dinner last night we had THEE most killer meal!! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Fish &/or Shrimp Tacos. Serious Love!! I defy you to find something that isn't FABULOUS for you in this meal!!

Cabbage is good for your gastrointestinal health and helps with body cleansing. Tilapia has those awesome heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Black beans are packed with fiber and high quality protein. Salsa is THEE best condiment there is; this pineapple salsa was a new concoction that was a HUGE hit! So though it was all just a eye ball / make up as you go kind meal it turned out PERFECTLY!! Hope you enjoy it too!!

**Measurements are a guesstimate so add more/less to suite your personal taste

Pineapple Salsa 1 Can pineapple tidbits {reserve juice}
2 oranges {peeled & cut in chunks}
1 mango {cut in chunks}
1 bunch cilantro {chopped}
1/2 cup Mezzetta tamed jalapeno slices {cut in quarters}
1/2 purple onion {chopped}
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/4-1/2 cup pineapple juice
garlic powder {to taste}
onion powder {to taste}
salt {to taste}

Mix fruit, cilantro, jalapeno & onion in a bowl. Add pineapple and lime juice. Gradually add spices until you reach desired taste. Add more juices if desired.

Fish/Shrimp Tacos

Corn Tortillas
Cabbage {shredded}
3 Tilapia pieces
Shrimp {shelled and de-veined}
Pineapple Salsa
1/2 cup pineapple juice {twice}
3-4 Tbsp lime juice {twice}

In baking pan place Tilapia and cover with juices. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes; or until while and flaky. Meanwhile, saute shrimp in pineapple & lime juices. Layer corn tortilla with fish or shrimp and top with cabbage & salsa. Serve warm black beans on the side.

Cranberry Dip

I have been SO good over these holidays. I have indulged somewhat but I caved with this stuff. We made THREE batches at my parents house for Christmas. I made ANOTHER for New Year's. Oh my oh my oh my this is just TOOO good!

Cranberry Dip

1 12oz bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
3 green onions
1 bunch cilantro
1-2 jalapenos {seeded}
lime juice {to taste}
8oz brick cream cheese
Tortilla chips or crackers

Cut onions, cilantro and jalapenos into 1" sections. Mix cranberries, onions, cilantro and jalapenos in a food processor. Add lime juice if needed or desired. Place cream cheese on platter and pour cranberry mixture on top. Use chips or crackers to dip.

Ghivetch

This is one of my all time favorite vegetable dishes. It is DIVINE!!!! My mouth is already salivating. MMM. Make it. Tonight! It's Delish!!

Ghivetch

Combine in a large shallow baking dish (9X13):

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup sliced fresh or frozen green beans

1 cup diced potatoes

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 thinly sliced onion

In a saucepan heat and bring to a boil:

1 cup vegetable or beef broth

1/2 cup oil

3 cloves chopped garlic

2 tsp salt

1/2 bay leaf

1/2 tsp savory

1/4-1/2 tsp tarragon

Remove Bay leaf. Pour mixture over vegetables in baking dish. Cover with tin foil & bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Gently mix veggies and add:

2 medium fresh tomatoes, quartered

1 yellow summer squash, sliced thin

1 zucchini, sliced thin

1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped

1/4 cup sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

Bake 30 minutes more or until tender. When done sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and cover completely with Monterey Jack cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Mango Salsa

You're going to LOVE ♥ LOVE this!! I must give FULL credit to my cousin's husband, Chhenglim who made it for us about 2 years ago. It is SO GOOD!!! {kinda spendy if ingredients are out of season so watch for a good sale} Oh and I do EVERYTHING "to taste" so feel free to tweak it to suit you, I'm going to guess on most measurements since I don't measure ANY of it!!

MANGO SALSA

4-6 ripe mangos
4-6 ripe avacados
8-12 tomatoes {depending on their size you may need more}
1-2 red onions
2-3 cloves garlic
6 limes
1-2 bunches cilantro
salt {to taste}

Chop tomatoes & add to a BIG bowl. Then skin & cut mangoes {if you haven't cut a mango before there is a HUGE seed inside that doesn't just come out. You have to cut the meat off the seed}. Finely chop onion and add to mixture. Crush garlic & add. Roll limes on counter to soften, cut in half & squeeze juice into bowl as well. Chop the cilantro and add it to the mixture. Stir. Cut avacados & add {I add them last so that they aren't completely obliterated when stirred in}. Now comes the fun part... TASTE it!!! Add salt & lime juice as needed.

This stuff is easily my favorite homemade salsa {and we LOVE homemade salsa}. Who needs tortilla chips, just a bowl and a spoon suite me JUST FINE!! This would be FANTASTIC on a salad {rather than dressing} too. Give it a try, you will be AMAZED!!!

Toppers

We ♥ LOVE ♥ breakfast at our house. We NEVER buy cold cereal. I thought I would share some of my favorite toppings for breakfast foods:

Pancakes, Waffles or French Toast is FABULOUS topped with vanilla yogurt and sliced fresh fruit. But you could EASILY use ANY flavor yogurt and frozen fruit. Trust me... WAY better than syrup!

Oatmeal is WONDERFUL!! We buy BIG bags of oatmeal and keep it in a 5 gallon bucket in the pantry! It's GREAT topped with any combination yogurt & fruit too. If we want a real treat sometimes we'll put in a little scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or one of our favorites is pecans, coconut and a few chocolate chips {German Chocoalte Oatmeal}! YUMMY!

And while I'm on the subject of topping foods. Try topping your SALAD with salsa instead of dressing; it's SUPER good too!!

Egg Recipes

At the request of my friend, KATE, here are a few of our favorite egg recipes! Just because they are on my fitness blog DOESN'T make them the healthiest of choices but they sure are yummy!

EGGS BENEDICT {my personal FAVORITE breakfast of ALL TIME}
8 eggs
4 english muffins
8 slices canadian bacon
hollandiase sauce {can use packet or if you want our homemade version comment with your email}
8 swiss or provolone cheese slices
*asparagus {a must in my opinion but can be considered optional}

Fry or poach eggs. Toast English muffins. On each slice of muffin top with a slice of cheese, c. bacon, egg, a few stalks of asparagus & drizzle with hollandaise sauce. YUMMY!!!

HUEVOS RANCHEROS {I think the real thing has the egg & salsa cooked together}
8 eggs
refried beans
8 corn tortillas
salsa
sour cream
cholula

Fry eggs {we fry ours without butter or anything on a griddle}. Fry corn tortillas. Warm beans in saucepan. Top each corn tortilla with beans, an egg, cheese & top with any combination of salsa, sour cream and hot sauce.

We also LOVE: quiche, frittatas, & egg salad sandwiches, *If you want any of these recipes comment and I'll be sure to post them!

Check out the INCREDIBLE EGG website to see some AWESOME facts about eggs, their nutritional content and weight management/muscle growth!!

Yummy Smoothie

So I occasionally throw a SMOOTHIE together. Sometimes it's after a workout, with protein. Sometimes it's a snack or part of breakfast. A couple days ago it was because my caloric intake for the day was WAY low {I ate A LOT, rest assured, but it was very low calorie foods apparently}. So my favorite smoothie consists of {no exact measurements here}:

In my MAGIC BULLET I mix: frozen strawberries, 1/2 a banana, cottage cheese, & milk.

Like I said before though, sometimes I add protein {which cottage cheese has A LOT of protein}. Sometimes I'll use different fruits but strawberry banana seems to be my favorite. Sometimes I'll substitute the cottage cheese with vanilla yogurt. Either way is SCRUMPTIOUS!! I NEVER sweeten my smoothies {with sugar, splenda or whatever}; I really like them without it. YUM!!!